The story around State of Play is certainly getting more interesting, with a little more information coming forward on why lead actor Brad Pitt decided to leave the project, and who the studio is looking at as a replacement. That replacement will also determine the future relationship between Pitt and Universal Studios, who had Pitt in a pay-or-play deal until the actor backed out of State of Play.
Originally there wasn’t much word behind Pitt’s departure other than word from the studio that the script for the movie was fine. That immediately put in my mind that the script may have been the reason Pitt left. Sure enough, Variety says that Pitt was excited about the project (and has been for two years) but wasn’t happy that the studio wouldn’t wait for the writer’s strike to end so a rewrite could be completed that would “bring the script back to a place that made [Pitt] comfortable.” Pitt is now playing the victim card, claiming the studio’s refusal to act (or, in this case, wait) forced the actor away.
Meanwhile, Universal apparently spent the Thanksgiving weekend courting bad-boy Russell Crowe to fill the gap left by Pitt. If Crowe takes on the role, it’s expected the news will be reported early this week. There are a couple of factors in play here. Not only does Crowe have to be satisfied with the offer made by Universal, but the actor also has to determine if he can fit State of Play in before his next picture, Ridley Scott’s Nottingham begins production in March.
If Crowe doesn’t take the role, expect a big lawsuit to come, despite the possible availability of other actors like Tom Hanks and Johnny Depp, both who lost pictures to a strike-caused delay last week. If State of Play doesn’t begin filming by the end of the month (which is the end of the week), Universal is in danger of losing the rest of the movie’s stars, including Edward Norton, Helen Mirren, and Rachel McAdams, many who have other projects lined up after State of Play.
